Carpet can be easily damaged by excess traffic or sliding or rolling loads, and it is often desired to protect carpeting from damage and even from normal wear, soil, spills or stains. This is particularly true in the construction trades, where carpet is often installed before the overall construction is completed. Carpet may also need to be protected during renovations, or during high traffic or loading events. It may also be desirable to provide a temporary surface over existing carpet simply to present a different visual effect, such as for aesthetic appeal or to provide information.
One of the more commonly employed carpet protection products is a sheet of adhesive film that is rolled out over a carpeted surface. The surface of the film is provided with a pressure-sensitive adhesive, which bonds to the carpet fibers and holds the sheet in place. Other ways that carpet is temporarily protected include covering the carpet with cardboard, paper or tarps, for example, and taping down the edges of the covering to the carpet.
Improvements in such products and in other forms of surface protection are desired.